How supermarket Tesco saw profits triple to £2.03bn but warns earnings could come under pressure

The supermarket giant saw group pre-tax profits jump to £2.03bn in the year to February 26, up from £636m the previous year, thanks to rising sales and lower costs related to the pandemic.

It posted a 58 per cent jump in underlying operating profits to £2.8bn, with retail earnings up 34.9 per cent at £2.6bn.

The group said sales excluding fuel rose by 2.5 per cent to £54.8bn, with UK like-for-like growth of 0.4 per cent - up 8.2 per cent on a pre-pandemic two-year comparison.

Profits were helped as it saw Covid-19 costs fall to £220m from £892m the previous year.

But it warned that retail operating profits are expected to fall this year, to between £2.4bn and £2.6bn as the group's own costs are set to soar and it invests in prices to remain competitive amid rocketing food inflation.

It is also said customer behaviour is also returning to more normal patterns as shoppers rely less on supermarket trips as the UK emerges from the pandemic.

Tesco chief executive Ken Murphy said: "Clearly, the external environment has become more challenging in recent months.

"Against a tough backdrop for our customers and with household budgets under pressure, we are laser-focused on keeping the cost of the weekly shop in check - working in close partnership with our suppliers, as well as doing everything we can to reduce our own costs."